Easy question for L&D nurses

I hear of other women's labor experiences and I really have a hard time believing them... Is it not uncommon for a woman to 'sleep' through labor and not need any drug, no epidural and they just lie there quietly and whala, the baby is born? I can maybe understand the 4th or 5th child being that labor is usually quicker.

I had my first naturally and not of choice (long story) and had epidurals with the last 3. Tried to go without epidural on last one, but it wasnt gonna fly...

I know everyone is different and has different experiences. I just want to know from you who see it first hand, how common is the pt who doesnt need anything and does just 'peachy'....

[fergus51]

I have only seen one woman have a "peachy" labor (she didn't even feel the contractions until she was at 9cm). Other than that, most women do have painful labors. They may be able to sleep in between contractions in early labor, but it's never peachy.

[Erin RN]

Since I had Pit with both labors..mine were hard from the get go..With child number two after 23 hours I "passed out" between contractions but sleep...NO.. Erin

[Rhon1991]

I said 'peachy' for lack of better words... like the women that say, 'had him naturally... it wasnt so bad... had a little back ache... " Unless they are diabetic and have some *serious* neuropathy... but I cant imagine them without some strain on their faces and hyperventilating just a little bit... just curious...

[fieryrn]

I was one of those that didn't know I was in labor with my first child. I went to my regular prenatal appt and the on-call doctor checked me and said that I was in labor and to go straight to the hospital. I was 6 cms and honestly...I did not hurt. I was conscious of some tightening in my abdomen..but my braxton hicks had been more uncomfortable. I went to the hospital and rechecked about an hour later ...still not feeling anything...and was told I was 9 cms and "we are going to the delivery room". I had 30-40 minutes of hard labor (finally) and pushed maybe 3 times...

All three of my labors were short...the second was 4 hrs and the last about 2 hrs...

By the way...I am now a L&D RN...( wasn't then...or I would have had major complications or worse!!! LOL!!)

[Dayray, RN]

I've seen many that handle it very well (even though you can tell they are hurting and tired). I have also seen a few that didn't seem to have much pain at all. I have to wonder if they weren't feeling much pain or if they were just very good at controlling it. I have allot of admiration for the patients that birth this way and am very impressed with their strength but then I also admire the ones that are scared out of their minds and manage to still get threw it.

There is a theory rolling around right now that the reason labor is so painful is that our culture teaches us that it is. The same theory says that women in other cultures describe there labor as uncomfortable but that they feel satisfaction afterword and experience very little real pain. This theory is presented in the hypno-birthing book. Unfortunately the few hypno-births I have seen didn't go well. I've seen better success with Lamaze and even Bradly. Maybe it's just because it's new but I'm not sure what to think of this theory or hypno-birthing.

The things I think help other then an epidural are good health, being physically fit before and during pregnancy, a good understanding of what to expect, Lamaze breathing, visualization and (very important) a feeling of comfort and safety. All those things seem to go together to make the patient handle pain better but none of it really takes the pain away.

It's of course different for each patient but rarely do you see the kind of birth you described although I have heard of it.

[Rhon1991]

FieryRN,

Coming from you, now I believe... wow, thats great!

[Rhon1991]

Originally posted by Dayray

[b

The things I think help other then an epidural are good health, being physically fit before and during pregnancy, a good understanding of what to expect, Lamaze breathing, visualization and (very important) a feeling of comfort and safety. All those things seem to go together to make the patient handle pain better but none of it really takes the pain away.

[/b]

I was all those things and did all those things and still had very intense pain. I guess we are all different and some blessed with better bodies to handle pain... I will wait for the research....

[Audreyfay]

I have a few friends who have had very easy labors. All of them are very athletic and were doing a lot of exercise, even in their last trimester. I had 6 hours of labor. However, I did sleep through it. I woke up for the contractions, did my lamaze breathing, and fell right back asleep after it was gone. Course, having the baby at 6:00 a.m. might have had something to do with the sleeping part. I also have seen teenagers who came in and had their baby, as easily as a bowel movement. Somehow, it doesn't seem quite fair to those who have to work so hard.

[fergus51]

I think part of it is selective memory as well. I have had patients litterally SCREAMING in pain. Then a half hour after the baby is born they'll say "Well, that wasn't really that painful...". One woman's signifigant other said "Were you in the same room as the rest of us?!":eek: :chuckle

[gypsyatheart]

Originally posted by Dayray

There is a theory rolling around right now that the reason labor is so painful is that our culture teaches us that it is. The same theory says that women in other cultures describe there labor as uncomfortable but that they feel satisfaction afterword and experience very little real pain. This theory is presented in the hypno-birthing book. Unfortunately the few hypno-births I have seen didn't go well. I've seen better success with Lamaze and even Bradly. Maybe it's just because it's new but I'm not sure what to think of this theory or hypno-birthing.

Well, I am here to tell you, this theory is WRONG,WRONG,WRONG! LOL!!! :chuckle Believe me, after 4 births, each and every one of them was painful, not b/k "culture" tells me so, but b/k it was the most intense, gut-wrenching pain of my life!

I have had some pt's relying on hypno-birthing...let's suffice it to say, most don't end up following through once active labor hits. My take on labor is...the more educated about the process you are, if you KNOW what you're going to deal with , then yes, mentally, you CAN make a difference in how handle your labor...it still hurts just the same. I was definitely not one of the very few women I see who have babies and then say "that wasn't too bad"! Oh well, my baby making days are over! :)

[SmilingBluEyes]

EVERYONE is different...and so is each labor experience. Like pain it is what the PATIENT SAYS IT IS. it's not all that complicated.